Donald Trump told thousands of roaring supporters on Sunday that he would "fix every single crisis facing our country," taking a campaign-style victory lap inside a packed Washington arena a day before he returns to power with plans to aggressively reshape U.S. immigration and trade policy.
"Tomorrow, at noon, the curtain closes on four long years of American decline, and we begin a brand new day of American strength, prosperity, dignity and pride," he said.
Trump's "Make America Great Again Victory Rally" took place at Capital One Arena, an indoor hockey and basketball venue that will also host some of Monday's inauguration festivities after forecasts of bitter cold prompted officials to move the planned outdoor events inside.
The rally resembled the free-wheeling campaign speeches that have been a Trump staple since his first White House run in 2016, with the former and future president delivering a mix of boasts, false claims and sweeping promises to the delight of the crowd.
"This is the greatest political movement in American history, and 75 days ago, we achieved the most epic political victory our country has ever seen," he said. "Starting tomorrow, I will act with historic speed of strength and fix every single crisis facing our country."
The event marked his first major address in Washington since he delivered a speech on Jan. 6, 2021, to his supporters that preceded the storming of the U.S. Capitol.
Trump's rally, along with his inaugural address on Monday, could preview the tone he plans to adopt during his second White House term. In recent weeks, Trump has bewildered foreign allies by musing aloud about taking over Greenland and the Panama Canal and turning Canada into a U.S. state.
Immigration will be a target of Trump's first executive actions after taking office, along with energy issues and policies aimed at promoting diversity, equity and inclusion, his incoming national security adviser Mike Waltz told CBS.
Trump said he would shut down the southern border, "bring back law and order to our cities" and "get radical woke ideologies the hell out of our military," among other promises.
"By the time the sun sets tomorrow, the invasion of our country will have come to a halt," he said.
Earlier on Sunday, Trump had breakfast with Republican U.S. senators at Blair House, the guest quarters across from the White House, on Sunday. John Cornyn, Susan Collins, Ted Cruz, Rick Scott and Tim Scott were among the attendees seen leaving the event.
He later placed a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery outside Washington. Trump saluted the tomb as a military bugler played "Taps."
BIDEN'S LAST HURRAH
Ahead of the event, Trump's fans, many dressed in the campaign's trademark red jackets and MAGA hats, waited in a cold, driving rain along several downtown Washington blocks, some chanting "USA! USA!"
Val Tordjman, 58, had traveled across the country from Denver with tickets to watch the inauguration. When he heard the ceremony was being moved inside, notably cutting the size of the in-person audience, he said, "I felt like crying."
Tordjman said he planned to spend the night on the street next to the arena, despite temperatures forecast to plunge to around 19 degrees Fahrenheit (-7 degrees Celsius). He said he had yet to see Trump in person.
"This is a once in a lifetime opportunity," he said.
Large swaths of the streets around the U.S. Capitol and White House have been blocked off by steel fences since last week, and police were visible throughout the city.
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew planned to attend the rally, hours after the company announced it was restoring its service thanks to Trump's promise to delay a U.S. ban that took effect on Sunday. Chew is also expected to join other tech executives at Trump's inauguration on Monday, including the world's richest man, Elon Musk, who has become a Trump confidant since spending more than $250 million on his campaign.
Trump took credit in his speech for bringing TikTok back online and said the U.S. would do a "joint venture" to save the app alongside bidders to buy the company.
Biden, meanwhile, made his last official trip as president on Sunday to Charleston, South Carolina, to mark Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which is also on Monday. He attended services and spoke about King's legacy at Royal Missionary Baptist Church, while also urging despondent fellow Democrats not to give up hope.
The inauguration is scheduled for noon ET (1700 GMT) on Monday, when Trump will take the presidential oath of office inside the rotunda of the Capitol building, after the cold weather prompted organizers to move the ceremony indoors. Approximately 25,000 law enforcement personnel will be on hand to provide security.